Fa1?!* 
187- 


SUFFERINGS 


VV"        V 


.REV.    T.    Gi    CAMPBELL 

m 

AND 

U  1  S      I   AM  I  1.  Y, 

EM     <•&  hs  ©  rid  &  E  ^  o 


WASHINGTON 
I  S'Titni'lllSI     PUBLISHING   CoKrANT, 

If-::. 


LOAN  STACK 


GIFT 


■ 
t 


PR  EFAC  E. 

Mj'  purpose  in  writing  this   sketch  is  to  show  to  ih-j 
capital,  given  to  ili-m  in  brain  or  muscle  by  th    '■<  "  11 
t!i  •  I'niv  ■■!■-■•,  Ill-  )>  ■■:]  i,rn  iv  -'1  and  trample*  I  under  fool 
moneyed  aristocrats  < >f  this  nation;  for  while  it   is  em 
proper   thai    each  individual    ^li'ml  1  be  protected    in  all 
lawful    rights   of    property,  yel   they    should    novel   ha\ 
paramounl    claim  on  that   ground  over   any  other  person.     I 
licreb}   show  the  feelings  of  the  people  of  the  South,  who 

thsir  lot   with    their   Sri!';,    upon    the   theory   of    para nl 

allegiance  being  du;  to  the  States.     Ii   is  claimed   by  so 

their  friends  thai  si  ivery  being  abolish  ■  1.  this  'I  istrine  of  -;  it  ' 

rights  fall  with  il  ;  but  thai  is  a  great  mistake.     Under  tli 

of  local   self-government,  the)  now  claim  all  the)  ever    i»'.  ■  I  : 

and  that  is  the  recognition  of  the  rights  of  prop  thai 

of  person,  which  was  claim  id  under  the  thro        ii       tie.  and 

which  i-  dem  nil  •  I  b)  the  prop  srty-h  ikl  irs  of  I  Ii 

When    the  troops  were  withdrawn   from   the  fital   -  of    Sjuth 

Carolina  an  1  I/mi-i  ma,  il  was  rece.lv  :d  as  a  rei  ignition  of  State 

rights,  and  property  rights ;  and   no  matter  what   in  ijh!  be  tie 

moral  worth  or  respectability  of  a  mechanic  or  I: ing  nun, 

Ills  Interests  or  rights  must  not  stand  in  the  waj  of  the   ivishcs 
nt  tile  c  ipitalists  or  prop  irt)  -li  '1  ler. 

Therefore,  in  view  of  facts  as  they  present   themselves.  la.'. 
the  laboring  men  an  1  women  of  this  nation,   How  long  will  it 
be  Ii  ifore  you  will  have  no  rights  th  U  the  capil  ilistsorp    i; 
holder  is  bound  to    respect?     Ii   is    tim  -  you  began    to   think 
about  this.  Rev.  T.  G.  CAMPB1 


THE   SITUATION. 


Dedic  Lt  sd  to  the  Hon.  Tunis  G-.Campb  11,  Sl\,  jr     ■   ■ 

to  : 

A  content,  such  a.-  men  ne'er  saw , 
Placed  in  the  time-known  chair, 
Within  and  beyond  the  honored  law, 
One  with  record  grand  and  fair. 

The  world  is  coursing  the  other  waj  - 
From  tho  base  of  wave-worn  Plymouth  Kock; 

For  "Policy,"  priests  and  Levitt"  prav. 
And  the  creed  of  the  Fathers  [hi  >  jeci  and  mock 

And  now  'tis  the  fate  of   the  hones*  I  man 

To  give  ti>  q  rebel  the  upper  pdu  t  , 
To  magnify  the  ku-klux  chin. 

And  cringe  and  bow  when  foemen  meet. 

"Oh  woe  !  "  is  the  cry  from  the  Southern  land, 

From  Dixon's  line  to  Lhe  Single  Star; 
Attain  theyrule  with  an  iron  hand 

"Who  rived  the  fetters  before  the  war. 

And  gun  and  knife,  and  baying  beast,— 

The  cruel  hounds,  in  davs  of  yore, 
From  stockade  sceul  the  bloody  feast, 

As  in  the  days  Long  gone  before 

From  stricken  homos  the  children  sigh  , 

"  The  orphan  and  the  widow  save  !  " 
The  call  is  vain  !     Peace  is  the  party  cry  : 

No  power  now  the  nation  claims  to  save ! 

The  freedman,  from  the  greed  and  wrath 
Of  those  who  tore  the  country's  life  away  , 

Let  us  have  peace!    And  if  tin-  gory  path 
Of  Southern  empire  o'er  the  bondsmen  laj  , 

Beneath  them  lies  an  early  tomb, 

Low  out  of   thought  and  sight ; 
'Ti-*  bm  the  coining  doom 

Of  those  whom  God  made  black  instead  •>!  white 

"Peace  "  is  our  watchword  now, 

At  any,  every  cost  or  juice  ; 
Before  it  honor,  truth  and  country  Low  ; 

The  bluet  must  turn  to  while,  or  die  !  tho  last  devirn. 


SKETCH  OF  TI  [K  1  AVI 


REV.    T  .    G  .    CAMPBELL 


I  was  born  in  Middlobrook.  Somers  t  county.  .W\\  Jit 
the  1st  day  of  April,  in  tho  year  IS  I  i.     M\  father,  (.Tolm  Csiitij)- 
bell,  si.,)  was  :i  blacksmith  by  tin  le.     1   lisi  1  live  —  T — i 
fom-  brothers.     I  was  the  youngc  :   of  all,  excepl   t«.>  sisters, 
and  they  were  living  near  Middlchrook.     mien  al   the  age  »f 

5  years,  a  gentleman  rode  up  on  horseback  and  spoke  I" ;i 

I  was  playing  with  two  of  my  sisters  by  the  roadside.     He  in- 
quired for  my  mother.     Wc  all  knew  him  very  well,  for  h 
in  Middlebrook,     He  told  mj  father  and  mother  thai  he  eoul  I 
get  mc  in  a  school  on  Long  Island,  in   the  State  of  .Wu-  York. 

I  was  subsequently  sent  to  a  scl 1  al  Babylon,  on  I.ongTsl 

1  was  the  only  colored  child  in  the  school.  The  principal  ami 
assistants  were  very  kind  tome.  At  the  age  of  IS  I  returned 
home.  I  would  not  agree  to  go  to  Africa  as  a  missionary,  and 
from  this  period  I  comm  'need  as  an  anti-slavery  lecturer. 

My  father  had  removed  to  the  city  of  New  Unmswiek.  Xow 
Jersey.  Here,  in  the  year  1S32,  I  formed  an  anti-coloni*  i  i 
society,  and  then  pledged  myself  never  t<>  leave  this  emmtn 
until  every  slave  was  free  on  American  soil — unless  1  w-ni  i<> 
learn  something,  or  to  ge.l  lielp  to  secure  their  liberation.  I  was 
brought  up  in  (and  intend  d  to  b  ■  sunt  oul  from)  the  episcopal 


6 


LIFE  <>F   REV.   T.    G.    CAMI'lllUU, 


Church,  bul  after  leaving  school  I  joined  th  •  M  itho  list'!  Uiurch; 
and  except  being  mobb  id  in  my  tim  is  while  lecturing  or  i>:  i  ill 
ing,  and  nearly  killed  one?,  there  was  nothing  of  note  occurred, 
except  that  I  was  the  first  moral  reformer  and  temperance 
lecturer  thai  entered  the  Five  Points,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 
After  the  work  was  begun,  then  noble-hearted  white  in  in  si  epp  •  1 
in  ;  and  where  the  "l  1  dens  of  thieves  and  pann  d-'to'isas  stoo  1. 
they  have  rate  - 1  a  mission  hous  i. 

The  mayor  of  Jersey  City  was  kind  enough  i<>  sen  1  a 
policeman  down  to  the  ferry,  every  Monday  night,  to  protect 
me  from  th"  ferry,  and  back  to  the  ferry,  from  th  •  temperance 
meetings  held  in  that  city  every  Monday  night ;  and  through 
Divine  Providence  kind  friends  came  forward  and  helped  us  to 
raise  our  sch.00]  houses  aul  churches  in  Jersey  City  during 
the  years  1811,  1S1>,  1S.15  and  ISli.  I  also,  during  the  sami 
time,  labored  in  Brooklyn  and  WilUamsbirg  in  the  sam  i  way. 

I  now  |>:i"  to  the  year  1881.  I  was  .-it  this  tim  i  a  partn  irand 
general  agent  of  the  firm  of  Davies  £  Co.,  untenn  inted  bread 
manufacturers,  on  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Fourteenth 
street,  in  th"  city  of  Xew  York.  We  got  a  contract  to  supply 
the  Sickles  brigade  with  bread,  at  their  camp  of  instructions, 
on  Staten  Island;  and  when  1  went  to  deliver  my  bread  at  the 
commUsary  store-house,  I  wanted  t'i  •  n  to  weigh  it.  Th  ly  said 
it  was  all  right;  unload  it.  I  would  not  unload  ii  unless  they 
would  first  sign  my  papers,  showing  the  weight  of  each  basket 
and  the  bread  it  contained.  This  difficulty  with  im  prevented 
the  storekeeper  from  giving  out  the  rations,  and  brought  the 
offi  :  -r  of  the  d  ij  to  see  what  was  th  i  in  itt'e-r^.  Til  -y  toll  their 
story;  but  when  he  came  to  me,  and  ordered  in  •  ill  ones  to 
unload,  I  told  him  I  would  not  unload  until  my  papers  were 
signed,  or  they  weighed  ray  bread,  and  gave  in  ■   vouchers  for 

the  weight.    The  chief  quartermaster  now  eami  U| 1  asked 

what  was  the  trouble.  I  at  onee  told  him,  and  sli  ih  id  him  my 
pipers.    He  asked  m;  who  mib  oui   my  pipers.     1  replied, 


Ml  1.   01    KF-V.    T.    G.   CAMl'ia.U..  I 

■  ■  m  )  s,  |f."  He  gave  me  a  chair,  and  said,  "  Make  out  our." 
This  I  did  at  oui  ■  -.  About  :i  month  afti  r  this  a  ci  mmittee  was 
appointed  id  Washington  to  inspect  the  coniniissury  depart- 
ment, anil  to  report  upon  tl.e  saiiitiirj   condit I  the  i'1  i  | 

on  Staten  Island;  nr.d  1  was  ordered  bj  Geneial  Eaton 
rfiiarterinaster,  United  States  army,  to  sit  with  Hum.  I  did  so, 
and  signed  (lie  n  j  oil  with  otlu  r  mi  nibi  is  of  the  1 1  n.niissk  i.. 
This  was  the  firsl  year  of  the  war.  Myself  and  other  colored 
men  ofl'ered  to  aid  the  Government  in  putting  down  the  rebellion, 
l,ui  our  services  were  refused— Sccrctarj  Seward  replying  tha; 
we  were  premature.  Iii  1863  I  sent  a  personal  petition*  to  the 
President,  but  got  no  answer.  An  old  friend  of  mine  in  the 
cilj  of  New  Ycrk  asked  me  if  I  had  got  anj  answer  to  my 
Washington  letter.  1  told  l.im  no.  He  then  said,  "Write 
again,  and  I  will  tiy  what  1  can  do  foi  yen."  1  did  write  again 
to  l'ri  -id.  i.i  Lincoln  ;  and  in  about  a  month  after  this  I  calli  I  to 
see  my  friend,  and  he  had  that  vc  ly  dnj  received  a  package  iron 
the  Secretin-}  of  War,  upon  opening  which,  I  found  a  commis- 
sion ordering  me  to  report  forthwith  to  General  Saxu.n,  at  Hilton 
Head,  in  South  Carolina ;  and  there  1  remained  with  General 

Saxt and  did  \vi  ati  ver  was  entrusted  lo  me,  I  think,  t"  his 

satisfaction.  Aflei  the  fall  of  Charleston  1  riijucttcd  to  be  sent 
to  the  Sea  Islands,  in  Georgia,  and  had  assigned  to  me  Burnsidi  . 
An- alu.  Sainl  Catluirines,  Sapelo  and  Colonel*s  Islands,  with 

orders  to  organize  and  establish  govi  n aits  on  the   Islands  ; 

protect  freednien  and  refngi  es  for  tliirty  miles  back  from  tin  sea- 
shore ;  and  1  remained  for  two  years  goveri n  these  Islands. 

I  had  three  teachers  bronglit  from  tlic  North  nl  mj  own  ex- 
pense,  and  paid  Hieiu.     Under  my  policy-plan  (that  of  Presi- 


•  The  petition  which  1    si  ni  10  1'n -nl' in  Lincoln  sel  forth  a   plan   by 
which  i !:•■  in  '  a  l  ■  'i'l'  coi  i'i   1"    educated  im     i 
m-cKiroil  1"  i m  ii  >-■■  tin-  diillri  of  citizens,  ond  rrlievi    the  Gem  ral  Gov- 

, it  from  the  t-iinrditiiifl a),  whiih,  In  m>    view,  lhcv   would  have  to 

keep  over  them  at  a  proteclii  n  against  l ;  a  nn  n  frem  the  North,  and  bad 
nun  from  the  South,  who  w  ould  tisi   llieni  foi  ilu  n  own  pur) ! 


e  MI'Iv  OF    KKV.   T.    G.    CAMI'B]  l  l 

ileiu  Johnson)  i  was  removed  b}  General  Tilson,  who  was  then 
placed  as  head  of  the  Kreedmau's  Bureau,  and  military  com- 
mander-in-chief of  Georgia. 

The  schools  which  I  had  established  on  the  Islands  were  broken 
up,  and  the  people  driven  oil'  unless  the}  work  under  contractu 
which  were  purposely  made  t<>  cheal  the  frecdmen  out  of 
their  labor.  Kebels,  who  before  had  appeared  humble  and  re- 
pentant, now  insisted  that  all  colored  men  and  women  shook) 
sign  these  contracts;  and  when  they  refused,  the}  would  way- 
lax  i Iii-iii  and  beat  them,  telling  them  that  they  would  have 
them  back  w  hen  the  Yankees  left  the  State 

I  went  to  General  Tilson  ni  the  time  hi-  headquarters  were 
in  Augusta,  and  told  him  that  I  could  not  go  on  the  Islands  with 
safety.  I  showed  hiin  my  certificate  as  an  Elder  of  the  Zion 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  America,  with  my  commission 
from  Right  l.V\.  J.  J.  Clinton  as  missionary  for  the  States  if 
Georgia  and  Florida.  He  said,  "That  isall  right;  hut  J  cannot 
^nc  you  any  protection  ! "  I  now  returned  back  to  Savannah. 
I  sent  down  to  :i  little  village  called  Thunder  Holt  and  got  a  sa  I 

boat  to  take to  the  islands.     In  it  1  went  to  see  the  people, 

to  tell  them  that  if  they  would  come  over  on  the  main  land  J 
would  try  to  get  a  plantation  called  Belleville,  which  was 
owned  by  ti  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Hopkins,  in  Mcintosh 
ooiuin  .     There  was  1,250  acres  of  laud  in  this  plantation,  and  he 

would  not  sell  it  for  less  than  S14.50  per  acre.     1 Icing  at  the 

pitiful  condition  of  the  people,  1  agreed  to  give  ii  ;  on  which 
I  advanced  81,000.  As  the  people  had  to  move  with  what  they 
could  only  take  in  small  boats,  I  got  one  flat-boat;  but  what 
with  rain  and  storm,  when  we  got  to  Belleville,  it  was  almost 
worthless— for  everything  was  burned  up  during  the  war  on 
the  place. 

As  the  people  dare  not  stay  there  without  me,  I  therefore 
moved  my  own  family  into  a  camp  made  of  old  boards  on  the 
side  and  ends,  and  a  Palmetto  roof— for  I  had  to  have  one  to  cooli 


till.  OF   REV.   T.   G.   CAMI'liELI,. 


iii.  and  the  other  to  sleep  in.     I  found  it  well  that  I  did  50,  fot 
very  soon  after  wc  got  there  a  man,  who  was  obnoxious  to  the 
while  people  on  account  of  his  having  been  sherifl'  for  the  Islands 
during  my  administration  there,  was  arrested  during  my  ab- 
scence,  one  day,  waiting  at  1  >oboy  Island  for  my  mail,  the  obj 
being  to  break  up  the  settlement  on  Belleville;  but  m\  wif    i  oul 
not  let  the  man  lie  taken  away  until   I  could  hi-  there   to     CC 
justice  done  in  his  ease.  Thisi  ncoiuagi  d  the  people.   I  ni  ut  up  to 
Savannah  after  the  trial  to  the  officer  of  the  Freedtuaii's  Bureau, 
and  they  sent  down  an  officer  to  examine  into  the  case,  who  dis- 
charged the  man,  a-  there  was  no  evidence  against  hini 
he  was  lined  lief  mil-  the  court  in  Darien.     This  was  in  t  -    , 

Under  the  Reconstruction  Act  of  Congress  I  was  appointed 
one  of  the  registrars  for  the  Second  Senatorial  Distrii 
Georgia— Liberty,  Mcintosh  and  Tatnall  counties, — and  - 
quel  illy  wa-  elected  a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  : 
and  upon  the  submission  of  the  constitution  to  the  people  for 
i. in  ii  ation,  I  wa  clc  ted  s  mator  for  the  Second  District  of  the 
State  of  Georgia.  Upon  tin-  question  of  clegibility  to  off!  e  I 
was  compelled  to  stand  alone  tor  eight  days  on  the  llooi  of  the 
Senate,  con  ten  din;',  for  the  rights  of  the  colored  members  to  hold 
their  scats;  and  at  different  times  when  I  was  speaking  I  could 
sec  Democratic  members,  with  their  hands  on  the  butts  of  their 
pistols,  w  ilh  their  teeth  shut  hard  together,  and  using  threaten- 
ing gestures  al  me.  On  the  ninth  day  1  gave  way.  seeingnohopc 
for  us  in  I  he  Georgia  1  legislature ;  and  at  1  o'clock,  1  called  the 
expelled  members  together,  and  told  them  our  only  chance  wai 
to  prevent  the  Senators  from  Georgia  taking  their  seats  in  the 
United  Stales  Senate.     My  son,  T.  G.  Campbell,  jr.,  who  was 

a  member  of  the  house,  and  myself  were  elected  n   a  coi ittee 

to  go  to  Washington  to  protest  against  the  Hon.  Joshua  Hill 
anil  11.  M.  A'.  Miller  taking  their  seat-,  until  the  colored  m  in- 
ner.- of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Suite  of  Georgia  were  re- 
seated.    We  went  on    to  the  city  of  Wasliington  and  -aw  the 


10 


I.I  IK  OF  REV.   T.   V.   CAMPBELL. 


Congressional  Committee,  and  conferred  with  tliem  personally, 
by  request  of  their  chairman,  Hon.  E.  1).  Morgan,  of  the  State 
of  Now  York,  (who  knew  me  personally,)  and  Hon.  Charles  Sum- 
ner, of  Massachusetts,  with  whom  we  had  a  long  conference. 
We  told  him  and  other  members  of  the  committee  thai  wo  did 
nol  come  only  to  complain  of  wrongs  dune  ns  in  Georgia,  and 
get  Congress  to  reseat  us,  but  that  we  wanted  Congress  to  pass 
a  law  which  would  protect  all  persons  in  their  rights,  without 
regard  to  race,  color,  or  previous  condition  of  servitude.     Mr. 
Stunner  at   once  said,    "That    is   true.    We  must  amend  the 
fundamental  law.     We  must  have  a   fifteenth  amendment    to 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  I  will  bring  that 
measure  before  the  Senate,  or  get  some  one  to  do  it,  at  the  next 
session."     We  then  called  his  attention,  as  we  also  did  the  atten- 
tion of  other  members  of  the  committee,  to  the  particular  reason 
why  the  Senator.-  from  Georgia  should  not  be  admitted  at  that 
time  ;  for  if  they  won-  seated,  the  State  would  be  admitted,  and 
then  Congress  could  not  act  ou  our  cases  no  more  than  in  the 
case  of  any  member  or  members  of  any  legislature  of  any  other 
State— as  of  New  York  or  Massachusetts.     Suffice  it  to  say,  we 
were  successful  in  our  mission-  the  Georgia  Senators  were  not 
seated  in  I860.     1  was,  by  the  Georgia  State  central  committee, 
appointed  with  Hon.  Foster  Blodgett,  to  go  to  Washington  and 
look  after  reconstruction  in  Georgia.     We  went  on-  although 
threatened   by  many   rebel   sympathizers   that    if  /  went    to 
Washington  again  I  should  not  live  in  Georgia.     We  met  Gov- 
ernor Bullock  and  quite  a  number  of  prominent  Republicans 
from  Georgia.    I  felt  it  my  duty  to  go  and  see  the  Republican 
members  of  the  House  and  Senate,  and  urge  them  to  vote  foi 
the  bill  to  promote  reconstruction  in  Georgia.    I  stayed  until 
the  bill  was  passed,  in  a  modified  form,  and  then  went  direct  I" 
Atlanta,  as  it  was  not  thought  safe  for  me  to  try  to  reach  home. 
I  wont  to  Atlanta  by  rail,  and  arrived  there  on  the  25th  day  of 
December,  18CD.    The  General  Assembly  met  on  the  10th  of 


like  or  rev.  t.  r,.  cami-iu.i.i.. 


January,  1S70.    .As  it  was  well  known  that   many  who  v 
inelcgiblc  had  taken  the  oath  prescribed  byCongress.it   was 
deemed   necessary  under  this  hill    for  some  mem!,  i    in   , 
branch  of  the  General  Assembly  to  read  a  proti  ■:   .     linst  all 
that  were  ineligible,  who  should  attempt  to  take  the  oath  ;  I 
before  the  day  came  there  was  such  an  ex<  item  >nt  that  it  wa> 
difficult  to  get  any  one  to  take  the  protest.     I-        pj  don 

a  committee  of  three  to  seek  for  and  employ  counsel  in  behalf 
of  the  State,  and  I  found,  ou  suiting  them,  that   no  mem- 
ber could  be  prevented  from  taking  his  seat  by  any  civil  tribunal. 
for  they  could  give  any  bond,  no  matter  what  was  its  ,-,.rj ,,;,-.  . 
ment,  to  answer  at  the  proper  time,  and  wall   in  and  take  their 
seats.     1  went   to  the  Governor  and  made  this  fact  known  to 
him,  and  suggested  to  him  that  General  Terry  had  betl 
point  a  board  of  officers  to  examine  all  those  who'  should  be 
protested.    The  governor  said  that  he  did  nol   know  v 
General  Terry  would  take  this  responsibility.     1  replied.  "Wi 
cannot  organize  without  lie  will  do  that."'    On  the  10th.  in  the 
morning,  I  was  s.-nl  for  by  the  chairman  of  our  committee  of 
three.    He  told  me  that  the  protests  wire  all  ready,  bul  i 
would  sign  them  as  a  protectant,  to  appear  on   !••!:.  If  of  the 

Cover out.     1  at  one-  signed   my  name  for  the 

put  the  protests  in  my  pocket,  and  went  into  my  seat  in  tin- 
Senate  chamber.  1  was  informed  by  Senators  of  the  reaso 
why  they  would  not  read  or  sign  these  prote  ts.  They  said  thai 
there  was  eighl  men  stationed  on  the  front  and  side  of  the 
gallery,  above  the  Republican  members,  to  shoot  down  mj 
member  who  should  read,  or  attempl  to  read,  a  protosl  :  an  I 
told  me  to  look  up  in  the  galleries  and  see  how  crowded  the\ 
were;  and  said,  "  You  had  hotter  not  read  them,  for  you  will 
be  cut  ill  two  by  revolver-  !"  I  looked  at  the  clock  and  saw  it 
wanted  ten  minutes  to  the  hour  of  meeting,  and  of  course  re- 
plied :  ''I  will  read  them!"  All  the  Senators  then  moved 
away  from   my  seal.     There  was  only  one  Senator  to  he  .worn 


12 


LIFE  OF   REV.   T.    (I.    CAMPBELL. 


iii  before  me.  I  was  from  the  Second  District.  After  being 
sworn,  I  took  Hie  protests  and  layed  them  in  order,  and  as 
each  came  to  be  sworn  I  began  to  read,  and  the  Democratic 
members  arose  almost  in  a  bodj  to  object,  and  would  not  obey 
any  calls  to  order.  Willi  permission  from  tin-  president,  (pro 
tempore,)  I  continued  to  read,  raising  my  voice  above  their 
clamor  ;  ami  did  read  all,  except  one,  when  the  Governor  si  nt 
forme  and  told  me  not  to  read  anj  more,  as  the  house  had  to 
adjourn  without  doing  anything. 

As  no  protests  could  be  read  then,  I  returned  to  my  scat  ;  but 
the  member  whose  name  I  had  a  protest  against  did  not  present 
himself.  Immediately  after  adjournment  1  called  on  the 
Governor,  anil  at  his  request  called  on  General  Terry,  to  In 
to  get  him  to  appoint  a  hoard  of  officers  to  inquire  into  the 
elegibility  of  the  members  against  whom  protests  had  been 
gotten  ready,  whether  they  had  been  read  or  not,  and  not  I" 
allow  any  member  to  take  his  seat  unless  he  was  clearly  entitled 
to  it  under  tie-  Reconstruction  Acts.  T  did  ..ill  on  General 
Terry,  and  he  said  he  would  consider  my  request,  and  also  see 
the  Governor.  This  was  on  the  10th.  On  the  13th,  general 
orders  Xo.  3,  of  the  military  district  of  Georgia,  were  "issued, 
detailing  Brevet  Major  General  T.  H.  Euger,  United  States 
Army;  Brevet  Major  General  T.J.Haines,  and  Maim  Henry 
Goodfellow,  judge  advocate,  United  States  Army,  as  a  board  to 
inquire  into  the  elegibility  of  those  members. 
U*  now  became  the  common  talk  that  the  old  Xegro  Senator 
of  the  Second  was  destroying  Georgia,  and  that  the  Xegros 
would  be  unruly  unless  he  was  put  out  of  the  way. 

This  session  commenced  on  the  10th  day  of  January,  1870, 
and  closed  on  the  6th  day  of  December,  1S70.  There  we're  re- 
cesses taken  during  that  time;  in  on,-  of  ivhicli  recesses  I  was 
sent  for  by  Governor  Bullock  to  come  on  to  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington, and  bring  a  delegation.  My  wife  received  the  dis- 
patch, and  informed  my  sou— he  being  with  her  in  Atlanta.     1 


J. in:  OF  r.EV.   T.   G.    CAMPBELL. 


13 


had  left  Atlanta  on  the  Saturday  previous,  by  reqtu  I  top 
in  the  city  of  Rome  on  the  Sabbath.  My  son  started  al 
for  the  city  of  Washington.  My  wife  sent  a  telegram  informing 
me  of  the  communication  received,  and  the  nature  of  what  was 
called  the  Burgham  amendment  to  the  Georgia  hill.  I  at  once 
left  for  Atlanta;  found  two  other  members  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, (colored,)  and  took  them  with  inc.  This  is  what  was 
called  the  Georgia  delegation,  (all  colored.)  composed  of  tin 
members  and  two  private  citizens.  We  were  successful — the 
Bingham  amendment  was  defeated. 

We  all  saw  tin    danger  of  the  State  beiug  admitted  without 

some  additional  restricti and  tin-  was  brought  by   myself 

before  the  convention  of  colored  men  held  in  the  city  of  Atlanta 
on  February  3,  1871.  1  was  by  that  convention  electi  1  a 
delegate  at  large  to  go  to  Washington  and  urge  Congress  to  pass 
a  law  to  protect  loyal  citizens  in  the  Southern  States.  I  arrived 
there  in  .March,  and  found  Con  n  -  just  read}  to  adjourn; 
but,  through  the  providence  of  God,  the  President  test 
message  to  Congress,  recommending  to  thai  bod)  the  considera- 
tion of  the  condition  of  loyal  citizens  in  the  Southern  States, 
and  the  pa-age  of  some  law  looking  to  their  protection.  1  had 
the  honor  of  calling  on  the  President  at  that  time,  am!  had 
assurance  of  his  sanction  to  any  bill  passed  bj  <  ongress  for 
that  purpose.  The  Kn-Klux  Bill  was  passed,  and  of  course  my 
mission  was  accomplished. 

Now  the  rebels  became  more  enraged  at  me  than  ever.  My 
friends  informed  me  in  Washington  of  plots  laved  to  murder 
me  on  my  way  home,  and  advised  me  to  stay  in  the  North  for  a 
while;  but  without  answering  them,  I  came  home  before  thej 
thought  I  had  left  Washington,  and  went  to  wank  to  find  out,  if 
possible,  how  they  intended  to  kill  me.  The  plan  was  this: 
Certain  men  w  ere  to  come  up  from  the  country  and  watch  for 
me  going  to  or  coming  from  the  church  at  night,  and  kill  me  : 
then   lake  my  body  a  short   distance  in  the  woo,'.,  and  leave 


M 


LIFE  OF  REV.   T.   O.    CAMPBELL. 


something  by  it  to  make  it  appeartli.it  colored  men  from  tlie 
country  had  done  it.  I  pursued  my  inquiries  until  the  state- 
ments made  were  fully  corroborated  bj  incidents  that  occurred 
at  my  own  house  and  near  the  church.  Tin-  parties  were  well 
known  ;  and  when  they  found  that  I  was  aware  of  their  inten- 
tions, they  had  me  arrested  and  taken  to  Savannah  under  the 
Ku-Klux  Bill,  before  the  United  Stales  Commissioner.  It  was 
another  pari  of  tin-  programme  to  keep  me  in  lawsuits,  so  as  to 
compel  me  to  leave  the  county  to  Keep  out  of  jail  ;  or  if  1  wa- 
put  in  jail,  then  break  the  jail  at  night  and  kill  me  in  it.  In 
any  event,  my  life  was  to  be  taken.  1 

I  was  compelled,  on  going  up  to  the  legislature  last  November, 
to  leave  my  house  at  dusk,  ami  go  by  laud,  to  meet  my  son, 
who  was  waiting  in  Savannah  for  me.  On  my  return,  the  cap- 
tain of  the  steamer  "Hardy"  (a  boat  that  stop-  at  Darien 
coming  and  going  to  Savannah)  refii  ed  to  take  mo  and  another 
gentleman  who  wa-  with  me,  ami  had  my  trunk  put  on  the 
dock.  After  first  taking  our  fare,  he  then  came  and  gave  it 
back  to  us,  and  ordered  us  on  shore.  All  tin-  was  to  get  up  a 
difficulty  in  Savannah;  hut  being  aware  of  theil  object,  I  at 
once  ordered  my  thin:,-  to  be  taken  directly  off  the  wharf,  and 
crossed  the  country  in  a -wagon,  which  took  one  day  longer  to 
get  home.  The  only  security  that  1  now  had  for  my  life  or 
property -was  this;  Tie-  rebel-  knew  that  they  would  he  held 
responsible  by  the  loyal  people  of  (hi-  country,  both  colored 
and  white,  for  any  injury  that  might  he  done  to  me. 

T.  G.  CAMPBELL,  Sit. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CASE. 

My  case  charged  false  imprisonment  of  a  man  named  Rafe. 
This  man  was  charged  with  breaking  into  a  house  in  which  two 
families  lived,  and  threatening  to  kill  tie:  two  men— -both  heads 
of  these  families.  Upon  the  affidavits  of  said  parties  I  issued  a 
warrant  for  his  arrest,  and  upon  a   healing,  he  wa-   ordered  to 

give  a  bond  of  $10  in  eaeh  ease  to  keep  the  pea  e  for  sis  nth- 

as  toward-  these  families,  and  to  pay  the  costs  of  court,  which 
he  agreed  to  do.  lie  went  to  get  bondsmen;  but  came  back 
and  said  he  woidd  not  give  bonds;  upon  which,  I  ordered  him 
to  be  locked  up;  hut  he  went,  and  made  an  affidavit  that  he 
had  given  bonds,  and  then  ran  away. 

I  was  indicted  without  having  a  notice  to  appear  before  the 
grand  jury,  ami  that  charges  had  been  preferred  against  me. 
Whcii'lho  regular  term  of  court  came  it  wa-  adjourned,  and  no 
time  was  set.  I  had  business  in  Washington,  and  went  there. 
Upon  my  return  home  I  found  my  dwelling-house  had  been 
burned,  and  the  grocery  and  dry-goods  store  of  my  wife  and 
son  was  also  burned.  That  day  the  court  met,  and  I  was  ar- 
rested the  next  day.    There  was  a  called  sessi f  the  superior 

court.  I  was  not  allowed  to  go  two  blocks  to  get  my  court 
records.  My  counsel  asked  for  one  hour,  hut  being  refused,  he 
again  asked  for  fifteen  minute-,  and  was  again  refused  by 
Judge  Tompkins. 

I  plead  not  guilty  to  the  indictment,  and  tie'  CISC  pr led 

upon  the  affidavit  of  Kate,  who  had  rim  away,  and  the  testi- 
mony of  the  sheriff,  who  said  that  be  was  told  not  to  lock  him 


lr; 


LIFE  OK  KEV.    T.    (I.    C.Ull'lli:!,!,. 


< ■  I >  by  the  lawyer.  The  lawyer  was  also  a  witness,  he  having 
written  the  affidavit,  ami  swore  that  J ." : i  f i ■  had  given  bonds.  My 
counsel,  in  open  court,  said  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  get  tes- 
timony, or  do  anything  in  inj  case,  on  account  of  intimidation, 
but  the  judge  said  he  saw  no  intimidation,  and  the  ease  should 
proceed.  He  then  ordered  the  clerk  to  get  the  jury-box,  which 
lie  unlocked,  and  thou  took  out  two  or  three  tickets;  but  the 
clerk  whispered  to  him,  and  lie  pul  those  back  and  look  out  two 
packages  of  tickets,  when  he  tore  one  package  open  and  counted 
out  twenty-four.  lie  then  tore  open  the  other,  and  when  he 
had  counted  out  ten,  1  told  my  counsel  to  look.  He  said  he  was 
looking.  When  lie  counted  oul  the  other  package,  the  clerk. 
who  was  keeping  the  count,  said  there  was  forty-eight.  This 
li-t  was  given  to  the  sheriff,  who  Killed  their  nam  :s ;  and  as  the 
sheriff  called,  every  one  answered.  We  of  emir.-'  challenged 
the  array,  but  were  overruled  by  the  court  as  to  our  ground  of 
ehallange.  We  were  entitled  to  take  from  the  first  pauuel,  and 
if  that  was  exhausted,  to  have  tal  -  juroi  -    also  prejudice. 

The  jury  in  my  case  was  out  all  night,  and  at  10  o'clock  the 
next  day  the  foreman  informed  the  judge  that  the}  could  not 
agree.  In  reply  the  judge  said,  "You  go  back  to  your  room, 
and  if  you  don't  agree  by  11  o'clock,  1  will  have  yon  locked  up 
and  adjourn  this  court  until  Thursday  next,  and  you  shall  not 
have  food  or  fire  until  then."  They  then  went  out,  and  (by  my 
watch)  returned  in  fifteen  minutes  with  a  verdict  of  guilty,  but 
with  a  recommendation  to  the  mercy  of  the  court. 

We  then  moved  for  a  new  trial,  upon  which  we  were  entitled 

to  give  bond,  but  the  judge   said  he  would  not  take  any  1 1. 

when  we  insisted  upon  our  right-.  He  then  said  he  would  not 
take  $300,000  bonds,  but  agreed  to  hear  argument  at  Savannah 
any  time  within  thirty  days,  and  ordered  me  to  be  sent  to  State 
prison  at  once.  I  was  taken  on  Sunday,  at  10  o'clock"  a.  lh., 
with  two  other  prisoners,  across  the  country,  to  the  Atlantic 
and  Gulf  Railroad.    They  hurried  the  horses  so  that  they  broke 


l.ll  I.   01'    REV.    T.    G.    f'AMl'l      i  i  . 


17 


down,  and  we  missed  the  train,  so  we  did  not  get  t"  Sai    i 
until  Monday  morning.     My  wife  and  son  employed  eoun     I 
Savannah,  and  presented  my  case  under  the  motion  w  Inch  h  ii 

made  in  Mcintosh  i t\  to  hear  argument  in  thirty  daj    .  i 

he  | a 1 1  them  oil',  and  issued  a  special  order  to  the  guard  to  take  me 
away,  which  they  did  at  night.     I  was  released  from  the 
at  Atlanta  on  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  and  put  in  jail.     N'ow,  the 
judge   refused,  after  hearing  argument,   to  grant    a    nci 
ami  also  refused  to  sign  a   bill  of  exceptions  ;  and  inj  I; 
could  not  get  it.  so  as  to  make  application  to  the  Sup  ■        Cour! 
for  a  writ  of  mandamus.    The  judge  then  came  up  to  Atlanta, 
lOllbl    to  lie  OUl  of  mj   lawyers'  way. 

M\    son  then  telegraphed  to  my  counsel,  and  they  bro 
me  out  for  a  hearing  the  daj  the  judge  arrived,  ami  had  i 
a   subpee luces  te  cum — that   afternoon,  and  the  court  ad- 
journed until  the  next  day,  at   10  a.m.     The  judge  at  first  re- 
fused to  come,  bul   the  solicitor  went  for  him.     He  admitted 
that  a  bill  of  excel  it  ion  had  b  en  pn     nted  to  him  in  mj  case, 

We  then  got  papers  ready  while  one  of  m\  counsel  wat 
speaking  to  move  before  Judge  Hopkins,  of  the  Atlanta 
Superior  Court  ;  and  to  do  t  hi-,  we  had  to  dismiss  it  from  before 

the  Court  of  Ordinary.     As  soon  as  we  dismi 1  it,  irons  wi  re 

put  upon  me.  1  was  then  dragged  to  a  covered  wagon,  and 
taken  out  of  town,  through  hy-roads,  to  a  wood-,  when  the} 
made  mc  get  oul  and  walk.  Of  course  I  took  my  time.  When 
we  gol  within  D  mile  of  a  prison  camp,  two  nun  came  up  Oil 
horseback  and  served  papers  upon  the  guard,  ordering  him  to 
bring  me  hack;  but  they  not  being  officers,  he  refused.  I  was 
put  in  iron-  there,  and  that  afternoon  put  to  work,  and  tin- 
next  day,  until  2  o'clock,  I  worked,  when  I  fell — being  unable 
to  work  any  longer. 

The  next  morning  it  was  raining.  After  they  had  breakfast 
I  was  taken  by  two  men  up  to  the  guard  tent,  or  headquarters, 
when    they   took    oil'   my   chains.     The    captain  of    the    guard 


IS 


1  ll  >:  OF   REV.    J  .   O.   CAMl'ltKLIj, 


showed  me  the  order  of  court  forbidding  chains  being  put  upon 
me,  and  ordering  mj  return  back  to  Atlanta.  After  1  had  read 
ii,  he  asked  Die  when  I  expected  m\  friends  would  send  forme. 

"Why,"  J  replied,  "  you  are  ordered  bj  this  to  scud  back, 

therefore  they  "ill  not  come."  He  then  ordered  a  I 
to  be  brought,  and  ordered  me  put  in,  to  be  se'ntj>ack  to  the 
Atlanta  jail,  in  charge  of  a  guard.  I  was  carried  to  the  jail 
l>\  two  men.  When  they  laid  me  down  upon  the  cell-floor, 
the  men  said,  "lie  will  soon  'lit,  for  he  is  scarcely  alive  now." 
I  asked  one  of  the  men  to  get  me  a  little  rice  and  milk.  In 
about  two  hours  he  brought  it.  With  difficult!  late  it,  for  I 
had  not  eaten  anything  for  two  days.  The  food  given  to  pris- 
oners was  corn  meal,  mixed  with  water,  without  salt,  made 
into  an  oval  shape,  and  baked  hard  on  the  outside-  but, as  a 
general  thing  quite  raw  inside — and  a  piece  of  fat  bacon,  that 
eight  persons  to  one  would  find  raw.  In  going  about  they  would 
pick  up  pieces  of  old-iron  pots  and  kettles,  and  these  were  u  ed 
for  frying  meat  upon.  Then  they  woidd  break  open  the  corn 
bread,  and  lay  the  pieces  upon  the  coals  and  rook  il — or  rathci 
burn  it — sii  as  to  make  ii  more  palatable  ;  but  f  could  not  eat  it. 

In  the  jail  at  Atlanta  the  food  was  better;  but  1  had  mj 
meals  brought  from  the  hotel.  As  a  genera]  thing  they  kept 
them  out  in  the  office  until  finite  cold.  1  could  nevei  see  the 
man  who  brought  them.  There  were  white  prisoners  who  had 
their  meals  sent  to  them  from  some  hotel,  and  the  man  would 
carry  them  in  their  cells. 

Two  or  three  day.-  after  my  being  brought  back— J  do  not 
rememberthe  day.  for  I  was  very  sick— my  lawyers  brought  me 
out  a"ain  for  a  hearing  before  Judge  Hopkins.  I  was  carried 
up  in  a  carriage.  My  counsel,  on  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus, 
alleged  illegality,  on  the  -round  of  my  having  applied  for  a 
new  trial,  and  there  being  no  refusal;  and,  upon  my  affidavit., 

they  showed  to  the  court  that  Judge  Tompkins  had  agr I  to 

hear  argument  in  this  case,  bj  inj  counsel,  ai  Savannah,  within 


,,,!  |     OF    Kl  V.    T.    <:.    CAMITIXI.. 


19 


thirty  days;  and  that  we  had  also  given  notice  of  n  bill  of  ex- 
ceptions to  the  Supreme  Court,  and  therefore  were  entitled  to 
o-ive  honds  after  hearing  their  argument,  Judge  Hopki  -  said, 
Z  \  |lilvc  no  doubt  counsel  believes  the  stati  ments  !•  rein  =et 
forth   to  be    true,  but   1  cannot  believe    that  anj   ju  !        up 

whom   the  light   of   God's   sun    shines,  would  refu  i    i    1 1 

under  such  a  state  of  facts.     I  cannot  release  the  prison* 
I  will  remand  him  back  to  jail,  and  give  you  time  to  . 

papers  to  make  the  necessary  showing."     1  was  th arrieil 

back  to  jail  bj  four  men.     1  remained  in  jail  about  f -  weeks. 

Jly  wife  "went  to  Mcintosh  county,  and  with  great  difficulty  go! 
a  copy  of  the  records  of  the  court,  and  had  my  case  . 
on  a  motion  for  a  new  trial,  before    Judge  Tompkins.    The 
said  motion  being    refused,  she  then  presented  a   bill  of   i  - 
ceptions,  and.  with  my  lawyers,  found  the  records  incomplete. 

She  was  compelled  to  travel  back  on  dismal,  dark  nights, 
when  the  m<  ll  who  drove  the  wagon  had  to  get  out  and  lead  the 
hm  i  -.  and  pick  their  way  as  best  they  coidd  in  darknes  f 
in  the  winter,  although  there  is  no  -now  to  lay  upon  the  ground, 
vet  in  the  three  counties  which  she  was  compelled  I"  cross. 
after  leaving  Chatham,  namely,  Bryan,  Liberty  andM  I 
cold  rain-  and  sleet  were  things  of  constant  oCcurret  .  For 
three  weeks  she  was  kept  going  up  and  down— from  Savannah 

to  Darien,  and  from  Daricn  back   to  Savannah— on  a unt  of 

malicious  omissions,  or  errors,  made  by  the  clerk,     lint  with  an 

unshaken  c age  she  kept  on  herwearj  and  dangerous  jour- 

ncying,  until  the  papers  sufficient  to  meet  my  case,  and  act  as  a 
supersedeas,  was  made  out.  When  1  was  released  from  jail, 
and  on  my  wav  home,  the  rebels  again  arrested  mi'  in  Savannah. 
They  then  said  that  it  my  wife  was  again  found  in  Mcintosh 
county  she  would  be  ai'rested. 

One  of  my  counsel  came  i"  Savannah,  hut  was  no;  able  to  get 
a  record  of  my  case  in  time  from  the  clerk  of  the  court.  Mi-. 
Campbell  (my  wife)  would  not  trust  any  person,  but    -tart,  d 


LM 


LIFE  OF  REV.    T.    G.    CAMPBELL. 


from  Savannah  herself  about  the  llth  of  January,  187"),  il  was 
cold  and  raiuj  In  the  morning  train  of  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf 
railroad,  and  stopped  at  station  No.  3,  and  there  a  friend  of  ours 
(Eev.  Joseph  \\  illiam  )  tool;  her  in  his  buggy  on  to  u  neighbor's. 
(Cain  Jeeins,)  when  he  was  to  take  her  to  Mi-.  John  Mclvers', 
when  he  was  to  take  her  to'Darien  altogetiier  a  distance  of 
forty  miles.    She  had  to  travel  across  the  country,  over  roads 

which,  with  the  exc  iption  of  bridgi  -  acr :ertain  rivers,  had 

never  been  repaired  since  the  war,  and  in  rainy  weather  almost 
impassable  on  account  of  suck-holes  and  miry  place  .  over 
which  poles  had  been  layed,  forming  wlml  is  called  a  corduroy 
road.  But  these  poles  had  become  rotten,  and  had  dangerous 
lioli  -  in  tin  in.  in  which  wagon  wheels  or  horse  legs  were  in 
danger  of  being  broki  n  even  in  the  daj  time.  Thirty  mill  s  of 
this  road  had  to  be  traveled  at  night,  so  as  to  In-  in  Darii  n  soon 
enough  to  see  the  clerk  in  his  office  in  time  to  get  the  work 
done.  \\  hen  she  got  there  the  clerk  kept  out  of  her  way,  and 
would  not  come  to  the  office.  She  then  got  sonic  of  our  friends 
to  watch  for  him,  and  they  found  hi-;  place  of  concealment — a 
store.  He  would  go  in  the  front  door  and  out  of  the  back,  and 
down  a  bank,  and  get  around  to  his  own  house.  The}  then  set 
a  watch  front  and  rear,  and  by  thai  means  got  a  pari  of  the 
papers.  When  she  got  back'to  Savannah  1  told  Colonel  Thomas 
to  have  my  case  at  once  brought  before  the  United  States  Court, 
lie  promised  to  come  up  in  an  hour  or  two,  but  did  not  come. 
I  then  sent  word  to  him  by  an  officer.  He  came  up,  and  lid  it 
would  lie  best  for  me  to  go  to  Mcintosh  county.  1  said,  "  Von 
know  that  they  will  pretend  that  1  am  frying  to  escape,  and 
will  shoot  me;  that  is  well  known!"  He  said,  •'There  is  no 
danger  ;  and  if  you  employ  couusi  1,  you  must  do  as  your  coun- 
sel directs."  I  replied,  "I  will,  if  I  think  my  counsel  knows 
better  than  1  do;  but  who  would  be  such  a  fool  as  to  go,  when 
they  knew  they  would  be  killed  !"  He  then  said,  "  "i  ou  know 
and  think  a  great  deal  of  Colonel  A.  T.  Akerman.     If  J  get  a 


LIFE  OF   REV.   T.    O.    CAMPBELL. 


21 


letter  from  him,  and  he  says  you  will  be  safe,  will  you  go!'*'     I 

said,  '■  \n ;  I  will   never  consent  t"  go  and  be  killed  for  any 
one."     lie  then  said,  "  I  do  not  think  that  Judge  Krskeii  i 
entertain  your  ease."     I  asked,   "  Upon  what   ground   can  he 
object?  fori  run  cover  tin  statute."     He  said,  "Well,  publi 
prejudice  is  so  strong  that  he  will  not  dan  to  act  '." 

lie  came  again  !•>  sec  me,  ami  -aid  that  ".Mr-.  Canii'belJ 
wanted  him  to  attend  to  my  ease,  and  I  havi  promised  to  do  il 
for  $50;  so  I  would  like  to  have  some  of  yoiu  friend- pay  me 
the  money,  for  I  tell  you  it  is  a  very  heavy  thine  to  stand  up,  as 
we  will  have  to  do,  against  public  sentiment — a -you  well  know." 
I  said.  ■'  "Well,  whatever  mj  wife  has  agreed  to  do  will  i"  nil 
right  when  [gel  out."  He  went  away,  and  then  came  back 
and  told  me  that  it  was  besl  to  g..  before  Tompkins,  for  the 
case  was  so  clear!-  illegal  th.it  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in 
getting  inj  discharge.  I  -aid.  "  Judge  Tompkins  will  not  dis- 
charge me,  and  you  ought  to  know  thai."  lie  replied.  "You 
are  mi-taken.  I  will  get  you  discharged."  The  uexl  daj  I 
was  taken  before  Judge  Tompkins,  who  peremptorily  refused 
to  discharge  or  evi  n  consider  my  case,  and  -aid  it  could  noi  be 
brought  before  him.  out  of  Mcintosh  county.  lh  then  remanded 
me  hack  to.  jail,  notifying  me  that  I  would  have  to  appear 
before  him  in  Mcintosh  county. 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  mj  wife,  who  was  in  Atlanta.  She  had 
been  compelled  to  get  out  of  th'-  way.  I'm  there  was  a  warrant 
out  against  her,  alleging  thai  she  was  a  dangerous  character. 
and  ought  not  to  he  al  large  aiming  the  people. 

They  had  two  indictments  agaiu-t    m\   sou.  on  trumped-iip 
charges,  and  said  they  would  chain  him  and  me  together, 
take  us  both  to  the  State  prison  at  onetime.     Bui  we  got  my     / 
son  (T.  (J.  Campbell,  jr..)  and  hi-  v*ifc  oft" to  the  state  of  Massa- 
chusetts, (he  had  been  a  member  of  tin   legislature  fot  foui  \ 
and  of  course,  as  he  could  not  be  bought,  he  mu-t  go  oi 
In  tore  I  was  arrested  the  last  time  ;  therefore  there  w.t-  no 


Ml  I    of  ki:v. 


my  family  here   now  lmf 
.•all   her— Catharine   Amelia   i-   he 
old  in  Ih''  spring  of  ,1*77.     They 
wife  employ. .1  Colonel  G.  S. 


T.    C4.    C  \MI'l:l  I  I 

ii-ifc 


ind  daughter  Cassey.  as  wo 
name.  She  was  1-1  years 
were  both  in  Atlanta.  My 
Thomas,  assistant  I'nited  States 
attorney  for  the  State  of  Georgia,  to  bring  my  cast'  into  the 
United  States  Court,  and  agreed  to  pay  liim  S-'iO.  She  gave  her 
o-old  watch  as  security  for  the  payment.  Colonel  Thomas  was 
down  in  Savannah  on  business. 

Willi  great  difficulty  lie  got  it  signed.  My  "if-1  and  son  scut 
it  up  to  my  counsel  at  Atlanta.     1  was  then  brought  out  again, 

before  Judge  Hopkins,  and  gavel I.     I  now    went  down  <■> 

Savannah,  on  my  way  home.     I  got  to  Savannah  al I  5  o'clock 

in  the  afternoon.  The  tn-Nt  day,  at  2  o'clock  p.  in.,  T  was 
arrested  upon  an  old  suit,  which  was  no(  only  out  of  date,  bin 
had  been  decided  in  my  favor  by  the  Supreme  Court.  In  this 
case  the  judge  refused  to  take  bonds.  I  was  then,  put  in  tin: 
jail  at  Savannah,  which  had  been  condemned  1>\  the  grand  jury 
,,n  account  of  it-  unhealthiness.  I  was  kept  there  for  eight, 
months  and  ten   day-.    The  first  month  1  was  kept   in  a  cell 

down  stairs,  nine  feel   long  and  four  and  -half  feet   wide. 

The  prisoners  were  let  out  to  walk  in  a  hall  six  feet  wide  once 
in  two  weeks.  Mr.  Russell,  after  I  had  been  there  about  four 
weeks,  ordered  me  to  go  up  stairs,  and  every  day  after  thai  my 
cell  was  unlocked,  and  1  was  allowed  to  walk  aboul  the  hall  all 
day.  My  wife  also  made  arrangement  with  a  friend  of  ours  to 
send  mi'  something  to  eat  every  day.  She  also  sent  me  medi- 
cines, for  her  knowledge  of  the  medicinal  qualities  of  roots  and, 
herbs  was  very  extensive. 

I  was  attacked  with  a  severe  cough,  and  a  swelling  in  my 
body,  but  was  relieved  of  them  by  rubbing  with  a  liniment  and 
taking  three  doses  a  daj  of  a>  syrup  which  was  made  by  her. 

I  wrote  a  letter  to  President  Giant,  after  I  had  been  three  or 
four  months  in  jail,  and,  in  answer,  Attorney  General  Plervc- 
pont  informed  me  that  he  did  not  see  how  he  could  do  anything 


LIFE  OF    REV.   T.   <■■    CAMl'B    ' 

f,„-   ,,,,..     About    tlm-  da\  -    aft.'  i   I  v."!   a  renin iiiation*  from 

the  Attorney  General.  1  also  received  a  letter  from  my  wife, 
informing  me  of  her  having  written   to  President  Granl  ;  and 

the  same  afternoon  I  received  a  cot inieation  from  tit    D 

j. allium!  of  Justice,  informing  me  thai  my  wife  (Mrs.  Harriet 
Campbell)  had  written  a  letter  to  the  President;  and  from 
statements  made  therehrf— said  letter  having  been  referred  to 
him— that  an  immediate  investigation  should  be  made  in  m\ 
case.  Just  when  I  got  through  reading  tiiis  letter  I  was  ordered 
down  to  the  office,  and  there  1   found  the  assi  taut   attorney 

general  for  the  State  of  G gin     Colonel  G.  Thorn     .     Ih   said 

that   a  dispatch  had  1"  en  n  <  eived  al  Ail  mta,  ordering  them  to 
take  my  case  into  the  United  States  Court.     He  had  an  afti 
drawn  "up,  already  forme  to  sign.     He  read  it   tome.     1   told 
him  that  was  all  right ;  but  there  was  tin   otii  i  c.i  e  before  th 
Supr,  me  Court  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  which  ought  al  o 

Mil  CAlil  HI       I    "'     JrSTICK, 

W.1-1U     UTO         l>     '  J.i.  L57J. 

Tests  G.  Cami-bki.l,  Chatham  C( t}   Jail, 

,S;.\  :uiii:ili     '  I 

In  uiSni     The  President  hn    ref.  rred  me  your  let f  the  13th  ii 

nddr.    -"I  tohii  i  tn  m  roui  pi; I  coiifbn  i  i.  nl  in  Savannah 

I  ,u«  deeply    i "-"'I  i"   >-oui   »Ki  and   have   t) 

United   Suites   attorn,  s   foi    Gcorj  ia,  cxpm   '",'   to  him   n      i 
,1,    „  .„,.  i,,.   .,,  iivo  anil  in  rsisti  lit  .  sell i hcvi    ; fro 

Ii  ,.  thruus.  li  I. on  that  J  must  ;>.  I  in  tin    ca  i     and  tam 
will  do  w-ltatt-vi  i  can  l.,v,  full)  be  done  for  yon  ..„.,.,,,,.,, 

Very  respectfully,  rirtt  ABU      j     I 

till  I   II:  I  mi  \  i    OF   JUSI  Ml, 

Was '  "      1'  C„  Noi  ember  16,  ISTj. 

ill,-    lhi:i:i    i  i  'o'i'iii  i  '  .  Atlanta,  Gsi 

Mu".M*    Yourlettei   of  Hi. nil.  instant,  addressed  to  the  Pre 
;,„,!   asking  of  him   relief,  has  been  referred  to  me      1  have     l.«. 
dressed  a    lettei    to  Mr    Farrow,  the  attorn,  i 
Gi'i.i  t.   referrinc  a  com  of  youl  letti  r  to  him,  i  bun, 1 

',,  ,„;,  -i, ■■  'to  ""1  i"  -  •'  'f  anythina  can  be  done  I  >i  youi  relief,  and  to 
,  mil   s-oui  husband  to  be  r.  lievctl  from  hi    imj 

l     rnfli  i 1  to  do  vhateve.  i  i  ih.  Government  to  deliM-r 

,  .,ur  husband  from  theditiieulty  uudei  \  i'" '!:'.'  "',,M  .,,,.,.,., ,,., 

Very  respectfully,  k™Z?g\*   ^.'t'lViud  Suue., 


■>{ 


1 .11  I.   nl     REV.   T.    Ci.    CUIl'Iill,!,. 


brought  into  tin:  United  States  Court.  He  said,  "Tli.it  is  so; 
hul  yon  Imd  butter  lol  us  gel  tliis  ease  first."  lie  then  went 
awa\ .  and  came  back  the.  next  day,  and  said,  " Colonel  II.  P. 
Farrow  requested  me  to  say  thai  he  had  been  slow  to  move; 
but  now  lie  would  move,  and  I  should  be  righted.  Thai  I  must 
gel  S50  ready,  and  as  soon  as  they  saw  whal  action  would  be 
taken  by  Judge  Tompkins,  thej  would  go  to  work  on  my  case. 
I  then  said,  "Jly  papers  are  not  properly  before  the  Supreme 
Conn,  and  that  I  wanted  them  brought  before  the  United  States 
Court  and  properly  prepared."  He  replied  "You  are  all 
right." 

Mi  wife  informed  me  bj  letter  of  an  order  having  been  sent 
from  the  1»  partmenl  of  Justice,  to  Colonels  Farrow  and 
Thomas,  to  have  all  mj  cases  brought  into  the  United  States 
Court.  There  was  only  two  cases  now  against  me;  for  when  I 
was  last  in  Darien,  before  the  court,  I  drew   a   plea   myself  in 

support  of  a  motion  to  dismiss  five  indictments  f d  against 

me  at  the  previous  term.  I  showed  il  to  a  Democratic  lawyer, 
who  was  very  anxious  for  me  to  employ  him.  1  agreed  to  give 
liim  $30  if  he  was  successful.  He  went  to  the  judge,  and  after 
a  short  conversation  he  made  the  motion,  when  the  judge 
granted  the  o  I  r.  It  was  done  so  quickly  that  no  one  appeared 
to  not i,c  it.  I  was  well  satisfied  that  the  other  two  cases  would 
not  amount  to  anytliing,  unless  1  failed  to  defend  them. 

About  three  weeks  after  this  a  letter  came  from  my  wife, 
informing  me  of  my  case  having  been  dismissed  by  the  Supreme 
Conn  of  Georgia.  My  counsel  failed  to  file  the  brief  of  evidence 
with  the  bill  of  exceptions.  Upon  a  proper  showing,  my  case 
coidd  have  been  brought  de  novo  even  then.  But  I  saw  nrysclf 
betrayed,  and  resolved  to  suffer  or  die!  There  were  certain 
persons,  (Democrats,)  out  of  pretended  pity,  wanted  me  now- — 
as  they  said  Republicans  had  deserted  mc — to  accept  of  offers 
that  had  teen  mad'/  to  mi — namely,  $35,000  and  keep  ijiiirt,  and 
to  preach  as  the  white  ministers  directed,  or  leave  the  Stair. 


LIFE  OF  REV.   T.    C4.    CAM  I'M  I  1  . 


25 


This  offer  of  $35,000  was  first  made  to  me  In  the  year  1 
Before  this-in  1SGG-I  wa  i,000  a  year  to  preach  under 

the  direction  of  white  land  owners  and   a  hou  e  built  to  suit 

myself  wherever  I  cl to  locate  on  the  Island      in  the  black 

belt  or  main  land. 

1  told  the  jailor  not  to  send  for  mc  when  they  came  anj  more 
to  set  me  out  by  bargains,  as  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  die  m 
prison      On  or  about  the  12th  of  January,  187G,  the  guard  from 

the  State  prison  ca .about  7  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  handcuffed 

me  and,  with  a  chaiu  about  twelve  feel  long,  dragged  me  along 
the  streets  of  Savannah  to  the  Central  railroad,  and  tlv  • 
me  one  hundred  and   forty  miles  from  Savannah,  to  a   p 
camp  on  the  plantation  of  Colonel  Jack  Smith's,  in  Washington 
county,  State  of   Georgia.    The  weather  was    ret 
they  took  me  up  in  a  wagon.    I  was  helpless  when  we  go  there, 
at  1  o'clock  in  the  night-my  hands  being  chai 
had  a  very  had  fall  in  getting  out  of  the  wagon.    I  tried 
pen  and  ink,  and  fmallj  did  get  pen,  ink  and  paper  and  - 
a  letter  to  my  wife.    1  suffered  very  much  from  my  fall.     1  hey 
Wcre  clearing  land,  and  ordered  me  to  pile  brush.    It  -  impos- 
sible to  describe  the  way  to  which  prisoners  were  worked.    They 

wcre  taken  out  as     tl    yo   ild  se<      both  winter  and  sum- 

mer- and  kepi  to  work  as  long  as  it  was  light,  with  one  hour 
for  dinner.    They  had  breakfast  before  daj  light.    If  to 
to  be  cut   the  strongest  and  most  cxperl   men  with  the  as  i 
made  leaders,  and  evi  .,  otli  r  man  had  to  keep  stroke  with  hmi 
all  daylong;  and  ifthej  failed  to  do  so,  thej  wen  b  at   n 
unmercifully  with  a  leather  strop,  or  a  bugg)  trace,  and  given 
from  fifty  to  one  hundred  strokes,  until  they  would  keep  up  or 
die     I  am  well  satisfied  that  four  men  in  the  camp  where  I  was 
were  whipped  to  death— ami  this  was  considered  one  oi  the 
best   ramps  in  the  State.    These  beatings  made  men  reckless, 
and  they  would  rush  here  and  there,  like  wild  men,  to  get  the 
favor  of  the  guard.    I  must  say  that  the  guards  were  alow 


20 


LIFE  OF   REV.   T.    (.'.    CAMPBELL. 


and  brutal  set  of  men,  as  a  general  thing.  .Yon  could  hear 
them  all  the  time  calling  out  to  the  men,  "I  don't  hear  those 
.ins  !  Go  in  with  those  axs!  Go  in  with  those  axs!"  If  a 
man  could  not  stand  the  work,  Hun  lie  was  reported,  and  of 
course  beaten.  Women  were  treated  in  the  same  manner.  I 
was  in  this  cam])  eleven  months  and  twenty-one  days. 

Two  women — one  a  prisoner  and  the  other  a  hired  woman 
(both  colored]— had  white  babies— which  shows  the  stale  of 
morals  there.  I  preached  in  this  camp.  I  was  for  three' Sun- 
days in  chains  ;  bul  the  Monday  morning  after  the  third  Sun- 
day my  chains  were  taken  off,  and  I  was  put  as  overseer  of  the 
wheelwright  and  blacksmith  shops.  The  keys  of  the  store 
bouses  and  cribs  were  given  to  me,  as  also  the  books  for  all  ac- 
counts, of  work  done  on  the  place,  or  for  out  neighbors.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Smith  always,  from  thai  time,  treated  me  very  kindly. 
My  meals  cam.-  from  their  table.  My  wife  sent  me  every  month 
a  box  of  nourishments  and  medicines— clothing,  soda-crackers, 
sugar-cakes,  pound-cake,  strawberry  and  other  preserves, 
pickled  eggs.  &C.  Since  1  have  been  oul  of  prison  I  found  that 
my  wife  went  to  the  principle  keeper  and  stated  my  case  to 
him,  and  through  her  .statements  he  was  induced  to  have  my 
chains  taken  ofl.  Yet  I  feel  under  many  obligations  to  Colonel 
J.  T.  Smith  and  lady  for  their  kindness  to  me. 

My  wife  and  daughter  were,  dining  mj  confinement,  in  the 
city  of  Atlanta;  and  every  dollar  thai  she  had  been  able  to 
collect  from  her  customers  was  used  up  in  trying  to  help  me. 
She  also  made  up  medicine  in  the  winter  to  sell  ;  and  in  the 
summer,  went  into  the  woods  around  Atlanta  and  picked  black- 
berries, and  brought  them  to  the  city  to  sell  ;  and  from  the 
fields  brought  strawberries  in,  ami  sold  them.  About  three 
weeks  before  I  got  home — January  G,  1S77— my  little  girl  went 
out  to  work,  so  as  to  keep  a  room,  that  1  might  have  a  place  to 
come  once  more,  and  lie  with  them.  She  wrote  all  the  letters 
sent  to  President  Grant  by  her  mother.     In  this  connection,  I 


LIFE  OF   I'.r.v.  1.  a.  CAMP].:  !  I  .  •-'. 

mu  l  say  that  Mrs.  Campbell  (my  wife)  i;  a  woman  <!  remark- 
able good  judgment,  guided  by  firm  Christian  prin  I 
I   h  .,,■  no  Ian,  uage   to  express  my  thankful          I  i  Cod    for 

both  wife  and  I  hill.     ■  - 

During  the  whole  of  this  time  I  was  in  dread  i  I  the  1  it-khix, 
or  parlies  "f  men  who  broke  open  jails  and  pri?on  cam]  to  get 
persons  that  they  wanted  out  of  the  v. 


Tim  ENT>. 


__ARI£S 


I 


